1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a covering system for a pontoon boat, and, more specifically, to a manually operated, expanding frame system which allows for quick and easy placement and removal of the boat cover.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is well known to provide a boat with a cover to prevent water and other debris from collecting inside the boat when the boat is not in use. In many instances, boats utilize covers designed to be affixed to the boat via a plurality of snaps. Typically, a plurality of male snap members are affixed to the outboard side of the boat, while a plurality of female snap members are affixed to the boat cover. The snap members are spaced about the entire perimeter of the cover to effect affixation thereof. For example, pontoon boats typically include a plurality of male snap members affixed to the outboard side of the rails forming the perimeter fencing of the pontoon boat.
Covers of this type (i.e., covers affixed by snaps) are relatively difficult to place in operative position. Many times the snap members are difficult to join together as well as to release. Additionally, the boat cover may shrink based upon climatic conditions. In these situations, the cover must be stretched for positioning about the boat since the snap members have a fixed spacing about the boat and the cover. Additionally, if the cover shrinks when affixed to the boat, removal will be made more difficult since the shrinking of the cover will exert forces on the snap connectors, which forces will generally be normal to the direction in which the snap connectors release.
Furthermore, it becomes necessary that the removed cover material is manually organized and placed into a storage compartment. Typically, the storage compartment is located beneath a seat cushion within the interior of the boat. Many times the storage compartment is smaller in size than the cover material. The cover material then has to be forcibly deposited inside. The same inconvenience is present while removing the cover from the storage compartment. In addition, reinstallation of the cover onto the boat is difficult and extremely time consuming.
With the above disadvantages of the snap cover in mind, various alternative systems have been proposed. These systems include those utilizing cooperative pairs of hooks. In these embodiments, one of a pair of cooperative hooks is affixed to the boat cover, while the second of the pair of cooperative hooks is affixed to an outboard facing portion of the boat. The hooks are oppositely oriented so that, in use, each hook “hooks” the other such that each hook end is positioned internally in the body of the opposing hook. The vertical orientation of the hooks of this connecting mechanism necessitate tension in the cover to maintain engagement of the hooks. In these fastener arrangements, a portion of the boat cover extends past the hook affixed thereto and provides a gripping location for detachment of the cooperating hooks. To disengage the cooperating hooks and thereby disengage this cover affixing mechanism, the cover must be pulled downwardly so that the hook ends are displaced, one relative to the other. Pulling the cover downwardly to disengage this cover affixing mechanism is particularly difficult, e.g., when the cover has shrunk due to climatic conditions and/or rainwater has pooled on the cover. In both of these situations (i.e., cover shrinkage, or pooling of rainwater), a force acts on the boat cover opposite to the direction of displacement required to disengage the cooperating hooks.
What is needed in the art is a boat covering system which allows for quick and easy placement and removal of a boat cover and which does not suffer from the disadvantages of the prior art outlined above.